The Odisha government has signed an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for the establishment of a production unit of Anthrax and ENT vaccines.

The unit will come up at Odisha Biological Products Institute in Berhampur. Anthrax is an infectious bacterial disease of animals and particularly affects cattle and sheep. On the other hand, ENT is used to treat kidney disease in sheep and goats.

Agriculture and farmers’ empowerment, fisheries and animal resources development (ARD), Ranendra Pratap Swain said “The establishment of this unit will make our state, self-sufficient in the production of Anthrax and Enterotoxaemia (ENT) vaccine. Further, after meeting its requirement the state will also be able to supply vaccines to other states.”

While on behalf of the Odisha government, director, animal husbandry and veterinary services (AH and VS) Ramashis Hazra signed the MoU, senior general manager, NDDB, Sunil Sinha signed on behalf of his organisation.

The project has been taken to transform the healthcare and disease management of livestock and poultry in the state.

At present, the existing satellite unit of OBPI at Berhampur is producing 22 lakh doses of Anthrax Spore Vaccine (ASV) and 14 Lakh doses of Enterotoxaemia Vaccine (ENTV) annually in conventional methods.

“Establishment of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory will comply with WHO norms, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 of India and production of world-class quality vaccines. On operational of this unit, 2 crores and 50 lakh doses of ENT Vaccines and ASV (Antrax) vaccines will be
produced respectively,” said principal secretary, fisheries and ARD, Suresh Kumar Vashisth.

The production unit will come up with an investment of Rs 52 crore. NDDB will provide consultancy and supervisory services for setting up of the GMP unit, along with the completion of the trial runs and final commissioning of the plant.

The construction work of the laboratory will be completed within 36 months. The establishment of the GMP Laboratory will create a state-of-art laboratory producing Anthrax and ENT Vaccines, which will be one of the unique facilities of its kind in the country.

Senior officials, including development commissioner of the Odisha government Anu Garg and chief general manager (CGM), Nabard, Sudhansu K.K. Mishra also spoke on the occasion.